News

You know those INSET days where everyone leaves buzzing for five minutes, then it’s back to the grind with no real follow-through? We’ve all been there. But lately, there’s a proper shift happening in schools, and it’s worth getting excited about it.

Ofsted’s latest guidance is steering away from the old “CPD box-ticking” mindset towards something far more meaningful: sustained professional learning. It’s not just a rebrand.

Inspectors now look for evidence that schools invest in building teachers’ expertise over time. Particularly, the kind that directly supports the delivery of the curriculum, reduces workload pressures, and ultimately benefits pupils.

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In many classrooms, learning doesn’t fall apart loudly. There’s no obvious disruption, no refusal to work, no lack of attention. Instead, it unravels quietly. Instructions are followed halfway. Processes are started but not completed. Knowledge that seemed secure moments ago slips away.

This isn’t about motivation. And it isn’t about ability. More often, it’s about how much information students are being asked to hold in their minds at once.

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Retrieval practice is often talked about as if it’s a classroom trend. In reality, it’s one of the most reliable mechanisms we have for strengthening memory. Every time students retrieve information from memory, they don’t just check what they know; they actively reshape and reinforce that knowledge.

The challenge for teachers isn’t whether retrieval works. It’s about making it routine without adding to the workload or turning it into “starter theatre”.

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Each year, school leaders, teachers, and parents eagerly scan the national behaviour data, hoping for signs of improvement. This year’s DfE National Behaviour Survey (May 2025) appears to offer encouraging news. Confidence among school leaders has risen, teachers report greater support, and students report feeling safer in school.

But when we look more closely, the picture is far more layered. Behaviour may appear to be improving on paper, but the lived classroom experience is still defined by disruption, inconsistency, and competing perceptions of what “good behaviour” entails in practice.

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We’ve all heard it: our attention spans are shrinking. Technology, social media and constant notifications are said to be rewiring our brains, leaving us unable to focus for more than a few seconds. But the science tells a more interesting story.

Recent research suggests that attention isn’t disappearing, but it is adapting. Understanding that shift matters for every teacher, parent, and student trying to make sense of modern learning.

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Artificial intelligence has made its way into classrooms faster than almost any previous technology. From automated feedback tools to lesson-planning assistants, AI is being used to boost productivity and personalise learning. But as with any tool, timing and purpose matter.

A growing body of research suggests that while AI can strengthen learning when used carefully, it can also undermine it if overused. The key lies in how it interacts with one of the brain’s most important systems: working memory.

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Isolation rooms, sometimes called “reset rooms” or “calm spaces”, are now a common feature in many secondary schools. They’re designed to maintain classroom order and allow lessons to continue without disruption. But a new study suggests that this approach may be causing more harm than good, particularly for the most vulnerable learners.

At Strategy Education, we support schools and teachers across the country. Behaviour management is one of the toughest parts of school life, and it’s easy to see why internal exclusion feels like a practical option. Yet growing evidence suggests it can damage relationships, reduce a sense of belonging, and widen existing inequalities.

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Every teacher has had moments where emotions run high. A lesson unravels, students push boundaries, and the volume in the room seems to escalate by the second. In these moments, the instinct to raise your voice can feel natural and even necessary. But neuroscience tells us a different story.

At Strategy Education, we support teachers and school leaders across the UK, and part of that support includes advocating for approaches grounded in both research and real classroom experience. One area gaining more attention is the link between emotional safety and effective learning.

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Further Education (FE) is one of the most diverse and ever-changing parts of the education system. Yet it is often overlooked at the national level and in media coverage. At Strategy Education, we know the sector’s impact is enormous: helping learners to develop practical skills, confidence and independence long after school.

Across England, colleges and training providers are working with students from every background, offering everything from A‑levels and T‑Levels to vocational qualifications and adult learning. More than 1.7 million students study in Further Education each year, supported by dedicated teachers who combine subject expertise with life experience.

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When the new school year begins, the message to teachers, especially those just starting out, is consistent: get behaviour right from day one. This advice is sound. Clear routines and consistent expectations create safety and stability. But if we stop there, we risk overlooking something even more fundamental: how students actually learn.

We have seen time and again that behaviour and learning are not separate priorities; they are deeply connected. When we understand the limits of working memory and how attention functions, we can create classrooms where good behaviour flows naturally from effective learning.

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